INSPIRASUNS

Summer in SW Florida is pretty consistent, the day usually starts out sunny and by 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. the rain showers roll in. It’s our “rainy season” which helps to green things up and replenish our wonderful foliage for the seasonal dry spell that will begin in December. You can truly almost set your watch by the timing of the storms in the summer here.

Yesterday was no different, we had a beautiful sunrise and the morning started out as normal. However, the storms, well they decided to make an early appearance. Shortly before noon, I heard the rumbles in the distance of the thunder. They kept getting more frequent and a little louder. I looked outside to the north and yep, here came some pretty dark clouds. It wasn’t long before the sky opened up and the buckets of rain began to fall, several hours earlier than usual for sure.

Along with those buckets came some pretty significant lightning and thunderstorms 😦 . It rained almost all afternoon yesterday and was still drizzling when I made my way home. It stayed gloomy even as the sun was setting last night.

When I made my way out to my lanai to have my evening time with Father before bed, I guessed that I would listen to the rain as I prayed. I sat down and began to pray. I began my prayer as I have for a week now, a prayer to bring Emily Rea back home to her family safely. It was an emotional prayer, and I could feel Father with me as I shared my pleas for her safety. I opened my eyes and what I saw at that moment made me speechless. There above me was the most beautiful sky, totally filled with twinkling stars. In the many years that we have lived here, I have not seen that many stars in the sky. I could literally see them twinkling, they were like diamonds shining in the sky. It was unbelievable. Then just off in the distance, the lightning was still flashing.

I actually said out loud at one point, “The stars are literally twinkling”. It had been raining all day, totally cloudy just 30 minutes before I walked outside and all of a sudden the stars were shining. I believe there was a message at that moment, an incredible message of hope. The stars were shining right there above me and the lightning was in the background. I think Father was sending a message of hope, the goodness of the stars overcoming the darkness of the storm.

Friends, the challenges we face in this life can feel overwhelming at times. We can get weary and lose hope or faith that Father is with us. We are human and this is understandable. It’s also the time when satan saunters in. He will wait for that crack in the armor and will slither on in and stoke the fear and the doubt that we have. Before we know it, we’ve followed him down the dark rabbit holes. Yes, it happens, and when we recognize that it has, we must fight even harder to pull ourselves back.

When we are feeling weary, fearful or anxious, or feeling doubt, we must focus on those stars in the sky, twinkling and giving light through the darkness. This is Father showing us that He is here and in control. Then we just need to talk to Him, ask Him to restore our hope, crush our doubts and fear, and make us stronger in His love. And…we must truly believe that Father can and does answer prayer.

So friends, look for those twinkling stars in the sky, they are the light overcoming the darkness. Please continue to lift prayers for Emily’s safe return. I’ve provided an updated image below with the latest information. Thank you friends.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.